Joint forming tool



July 3, 1956 w. c. cHxLDRx-:ss

JOINT FORMING TooL.

2 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed Dec. 7, 1953 Wmfm@ NN July 3, 1956 w. c. CHILDRESS 2,752,806

JOINT FORMING TOOL Filed Dec. 7, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ya y United States Patent O JOINT FORMNG TOOL William C. Childress, Oak Park, Ill., assigner to Signoria Steel Strapping Company, Chicago, Iii., a corporation of Delaware Application December 7, 1953, Serial No. 396,535

9 Claims. (Cl. Sli-9.1)

The present invention relates to improvements in tools for producing joints in the overlapping portions `of bands or binder strapping and embracing metallic seals. The tool of this invention belongs to that groupwhich forms a cut type joint, that is, one wherein strapping and seal are cut or sheared a short distance inwardly from their Vmarginal edges along generally transverse lines to form a tab or tongue which is simultaneously displaced from the plane of the strapping and seal to provide abutting faces or shoulders to resist tensional forces tending endwiseto .separate the strapping portions. i

One of the problems in designing notcher tools-as these tools are sometimes calledis that of accommodating a wide range of strap thicknesses. Those designed for `thin material have insufficient ,clearance so that the .notchers or cutting blades have `a dragging eiect on thicker joints which split theseals along their edges. The

.tool of this invention not only solves this problem, but

provides notchers having substantially longer cutting edges than those in currently used tools, thus ensuring .that they will remain sharp for longer periods of time.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is "ito provide a new and improved joint forming tool of the :type producing ent type joints, which may be used with strapping having a wide range of thicknesses.

Another object is to provide a new and improved joint forming tool which may be used with a wide range of 4strap thicknesses, wherein the tool does not damage the seal blank which embraces the strapping during the .formation of the joint.

Another object is to provide a new and improved joint Storming tool wherein the shearing portion of the tool has La substantially longer shearing edge than is provided in planes of seal and strapping wherein a roller or group of i rollers shear and bend the tabs into recesses in a stationary notcher element.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational View of the head portion of a tool with the greater length of the handles broken away, illustrating the improvements of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the head of the tool, taken substantially along the line 2 2 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the tool head;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional View, taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

o able handles 14 and 16.

2,752,806 v Patented July 3, 1956 ICC Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the bottom or outer face of the stationary notcher, chair or pressure block against which the joint is formed; and

Fig. 6 is a very greatly enlarged fragmentary elevational View of a portion of one jaw and the notcher, with the side or face plate removed and partially broken into section, illustrating the manner in which the joint is produced.

rhe drawings illustrate a joint forming or sealing tool 1t) having a sealing head 12 and a pair of manually oper- The sealing head 12 includes a pair of side or face plates 18 of identical conguration, and between which the inner ends of the handles 14 and i6 project. The handle 14 is immovably secured to the plates 18 by a shouldered locating and spacer pin 20 and a bolt 22. The handle 16 is pivotally connected to the head 12 by a pivot pin 24 which bridges between and is supported by the side plates 18, the pin 24 being shouldered to prevent its accidental removal from the sealing head 12 and properly to space the plates 18. A nut and bolt combination 26 coacts with the bolt 22 to secure the head elements together.

The sealing head 12 also includes a pair of shouldered pivot pins 2S and 30 on which identical but oppositely facing joint forming or producing structures 32 and 34 are pivotally mounted, the shoulders on the pivot pins retaining them between the plates 18. Each joint producing structure includes a jaw assembly 36 having a central portion 38 and a pair of cheek plates 40 which are formed with hubs 42 and through which aligned openings or holes 44 are drilled or formed closely to receive one or the other of the pivot pins 28 and 30. The upper end of each central portion 38 has a pair of recesses 46 at either side thereof to form with the adjacent cheek plate 4t) actuating link receiving slots. Aligned apertures 43 in the central portion 38 and the cheek plates 40 in the region of the slots 46 receive a pivot pin 50. A pair of short straight links 52 are pivotally connected to the joint forming structure 32 by the pivot pin 56, and at their opposite ends are connected to the movable handle 16 by a pivot pin S4 secured in the outer end or extension of the handle adjacent the handle pivot 24. A pair of curved links 56 are pivotally connected by the pivot pin 5G to the joint forming structure 34, and pivotally secured by a pivot pin 58 to the handle 16 on the side of the handle pivot 24 opposite the pivot 54. All of pivot pins 5t),

54, and 58 have their outer ends sliding over the inner faces of the side plates 18 to retain them in position,

When the handle 16 is pivoted in the counterclockwise direction (Fig. l), the above described linkage rocks the upper ends of the joint forming structures 32 and 34 inwardly simultaneously about the pivot pins 28 and 30, moving the outer ends of the structures apart `to enable them to receive the overlapping portions of strapping A and B and embracing seal or sleeve S. The opposite movement is obtained when the handle 16 is moved toward the handle 14, during which movement a joint is formed in the strapping and embracing seal,

At the lower or outer end of each jaw assembly 36 the central portion 33 is formed with recesses 60 to provide with the cheek plates 4@ slots for the reception of tab cutting rollers 62. The rollers 62 in each jaw assembly are journaled on a shaft 64 carried in a bore 66 in a projecting hooked end 63 of the central portion 38. The shaft 64 projects beyond the rollers 62 and is formed with coaxial extensions 7@ of reduced diameter to form shoulders 76. The extensions 70 are snugly received in apertures 72 in projecting hook-like ends 74 of the cheek plates 40, and the shoulders '76 inhibit axial movement of the shaft 64.

The rollers 62 cooperate with a notcher, chair or anvil 78 mounted between the hub portions 42 of the joint forming structures 32 and 34, and formed with arcuate faces 80 to accommodate the hub portions 42 which assist in properly locating the notcher 78 in the tool head 12. The notcher 78 is mounted on a pin 82 having ex tremities of reduced diameters to provide shoulders S4 abutting against the inner faces of the side plates 18., the extremities projecting into and being held in apertures 86 in the side plates.

The notcher 78 is best seen in Figs. 5 and 6, Fig. 5 being a bottom view, and has a flat outer or bottom face 88 against which the back of the strap embracing seal 8 is adapted to be seated during the joint forming operation. The notcher 78 isv formed with four inwardly extending slots 90 lying transversely of the notcher and at right angles to the mounting pin 82. The slots 90 each present a pair of cutting edges 92 at the bottom face 88 which are adapted to cooperate with the cutting edges 63 of the rollers 62, the notcher 78 being so mounted in the sealing head 12 that the slots 90 are prefectly aligned with the rollers 62 carried in the joint forming structures 32 and 34.

As seen most clearly in Fig. 6, when the joint forming jawstructures 32 and 34 have been moved to their extreme joint formingl position, i. e., toward each other, the side edges of the notcher 78 are received in recesses 94 in the jaw forming structures between the hubs 42 and the tips 68 and 74. The jaw structures 36 at the tip portions 68 and 74 are formed with a notch or recess 96 contiguous with the recess 94 and adapted to receive the sandwich of seal S and strapping portions A and B to clamp the sandwich firmly against the lower fiat face 88 of the chair or notcher 78 during the joint forming operation.

It will also be observed from Fig. 6 that the tip portions 68 and 74 have confronting pointed ends 98 at the extremities of arcuate portions 100 which are adapted to bear against the flanges F of the seal S, and smoothly and snuglyy fold theml and clamp them against the lower face of the strapping portion A during the initial stage in the joint forming operation. This action is particularly important if the seal used is that type which in its original form has a generally Ushaped configuration with flanges F arranged at an angle perpendicular, or very nearly perpendicular, to the back plate. If the seal is of the thread-on type wherein the flanges F are generally paral lel to the back plate, the curved portions 100 function to press the flanges at and to hold them rmly against the lower face ofthe overlapping strapping end A.

It will be observed from Figs. 1 and 2 that the side plates 18 are formed with rectangular notches 102 at their lower ends to accommodate the overlapping strapping portions A and B and seal S during the joint forming operation.

The tool is opened for the reception of the strapping and seal by swinging the handle 16 away from the handle 14 to separate the outer ends of the joint forming struc tures 32 and 34. When the seal S and strapping portions A and B have been properly positioned with the back of the blank S against the face 88 of the notcher 78, the handle 16 is swungy toward the handle 14. The tips 98 of the structures 32 and 34 engage and bend inwardly the anges F, should the seal blank be of the type wherein the flanges are arranged in a aring or right angle relation to the back of the blank. If not, the arcuate faces 100 of the points 68 and 74 of the jaw structures 36 press the blank flanges F firmly against the outer and lower face of the4 strap end A. As the outer ends of the jaw structures approach each other, the rollers 62 contact and ride on the edges of the sandwich of strapping ends and seal and the edges of the rollers 62 and the cutting edges 92 ofthe notcher 78 shear the metal of the strapping and seal blank transversely inwardly a short distance from their marginal edges.A At the same time the treads of the rollers 62 bend tabs T upwardly from the original planes of the, metal and into the.v notcher slotsI 90. The rollers turn duringthe shearing or cutting operation andv 4 a fresh cutting edge is constantly presented, thereby lengthening the life of the cutting element of this tool over that of tools heretofore used. j

The tool of this invention will accommodate strapping of slightly greater thicknesses than that for which each model has been designed, Without tearing the metal of the seal as would be the case in a tool wherein the joint is formed by a pair of blades swingable or movable relative to each other. This is accomplished by the rollers 62 riding up onto the sandwich of the seal S and overlapping strapping portions A and B during the initial stages of the joint forming operation.

Fig. 6 shows that at the end of the joint forming operation the undeformed portions of the seal and strap ping are snugly retained in the recess 96, and between the tips of the jaw assemblies and the face 88 of the anvil. This secure clamping of the strapping and seal insures that a clean cut is made in the metal and that the tab is properly deflected upwardly and out of the plane of the main body of strapping and seal to provide closely facing interlocking shoulders to resist separation of the strapping portion under tensional forces.

The present invention has been illustrated in a hand operated joint forming tool, but it is clear that the joint forming elements can be used in other types of strapping equipment such as combination strap tensioning and joint forming tools, magazine tools, and power strapping machines.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the objectives which were claimed for this invention have been fully attained.

While a preferred embodiment of the joint forming tool constituting this invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that modfications and variations thereof may be made without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. It is therefore desired, by the following claims, to include within the scope of the invention all such variations and modifications by which substantially the results of this invention may be obtained through the use of substantially'the same or equivalent means.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a mechanism for producing a joint between overlapping portions of metallic strapping and an encirclingy metallic reinforcing seal, a notcher having a at outer face against which the strapping and seal are adapted to bear during the joint forming operation, a plurality of slots at opposite sides of said notcher and forming with said outer face a plurality of cutting edges, a plurality of rollers having cutting edges, each roller being aligned with and movable toward and away from a slot so that its cutting edges may coact with the cutting edges of said notcher, and means connected to said rollers and movabley relative to said notcher for bodily swinging said rollers. toward and away from said notcher so that said cutting edges may cut the strapping and seal transversely inwardly thereof and said rollers may bend tabs out of the planes of the strapping and seal and into said slots.

2. In a mechanism for producing a joint between overlapping portions of metallic strapping and an encircling metallic reinforcing seal, a notcher having a at outer face against which the strapping and seal are adapted to bear during the joint forming operation, a plurality of slots at opposite sides of said notcher and forming with said outer face a plurality of cutting edges, a plurality of rollers having cutting edges, each roller being aligned with and movable toward and away from a slot so that its cutting edges may coact with the cutting edges of said notcher, and means pivotally mounted relative to said notcher and mounting said rollers so that the latter may may be moved. toward and. away from said notcher to cut the strapping and, seal transversely inwardly thereof and to bend tabs out of the planes of the strapping and seal and into said slots.

3. In a mechanism for producing a joint between overlapping portions of metallic strapping and an encircling metallic reinforcing seal, a notcher against which the strapping and seal are adapted to bear during the joint forming operation and having means forming a plurality of cutting edges, a plurality of rotatable means having cutting edges aligned with the cutting edges of said notcher to cooperate therewith, and means mounting said ro tatable means and movable relative to said notcher for bodily swinging said rotatable means toward and away from said notcher so that said cutting edges may cut the strapping and seal transversely inwardly thereof and said rotatable means may bend tabs out of the planes of `the strapping and seal.

4. In a mechanism for producing a joint between overlapping portions of metallic strapping and an encircling metallic reinforcing seal, a stationary notcher having a flat outer face against which the strapping and seal are adapted to bear during the joint forming operation, a plurality of slots at opposite sides of said notcher and forming with said outer face a plurality of cutting edges, a plurality of rollers having cutting edges, each roller being aligned with and movable toward and away from a slot so that its cutting edges may coact with the cutting edges of said notcher, movable means mounting said rollers for bodily swinging said rollers toward and away from said notcher so that said cutting edges may cut the strapping and seal transversely inwardly thereof and said rollers may bend tabs out of the planes of the strapping and seal and into said slots, and means on said last named means for clamping the strapping and seal adjacent the cutting lines and against the outer face of said notcher.

5. In a mechanism for producing a joint between overlapping portions of metallic strapping which are encircled by a metallic seal, having a pair of pivot pins, means mounting said pivot pins in spaced relationship, and a pair of strap and seal deforming structures mounted on said pivot pins, said structures being oppositely pivotal toward and away from each other and adapted at least partially to embrace the strapping and seal when pivoted toward each other, the improvement which comprises a notcher mounted `between said structures and toward which the deforming structures move when pivoted toward each other to embrace the strapping and seal, and at least one roller rotatably carried by each deforming structure and cooperable with said notcher when moved toward said notcher to cut a tab in the strapping and seal transversely inwardly from the edge thereof and to bend the tab out of the plane of the strapping and seal.

6. In a tool for producing a joint between overlapping portions of metallic strapping which are encircled by a metallic seal, having a pair of pivot pins, means mounting said pivot pins in spaced relationship, a pair of strap and seal deforming structures mounted on said pivot pins, said structures being oppositely pivotal toward and away from each other and adapted at least partially to embrace the strapping and seal when pivoted toward each other, the improvement which comprises a stationary notcher mounted between said structures and having recesses formed therein with strap cutting edges at the sides of said recesses and toward which the deforming structures move when pivoted toward each other to embrace the strapping and seal, and a roller rotatably carried by each deforming structure, aligned with one of said recesses,

and cooperable with said cutting edges in said notcher when moved toward said notcher to cut a tab in the strapping and seal transversely inwardly from the marginal edge thereof and to bend the tab out of the plane of the strapping and seal into said recess.

7. In a tool for producing a joint between overlapping portions of metallic strapping which are encircled by a metallic seal, having a pair of side supporting members with means for holding the side supporting members in spaced parallel relationship, a pair of pivot pins held by and bridging between said members, a pair of strap and seal deforming structures mounted on said pivot pins, said structures being oppositely pivotal toward and away from each other and adapted at least partially to embrace the strapping and seal when pivoted toward each other, and a stationary pressure block carried by said members between said structures, said structures being pivotal toward each other and toward said pressure block during the formation of the joint, the improvement which comprises at least one roller rotatably carried by each deforming structure and cooperable with said pressure block when moved toward said pressure block to cut a tab in the strapping and seal transversely inwardly from the edge thereof and to bend the tab out of the plane of the strapping and seal.

8. In a tool for producing a joint between overlapping portions of metallic strapping and an encircling metallic reinforcing sleeve, a pair of pivot pins, means mounting said pivot pins in spaced parallel relationship, a pair of jaws, each jaw being pivotally mounted on one of said pivot pins, a stationary pressure block mounted between said jaws, said jaws having confronting hook-like tips which approach each other and move toward said pressure block to clamp the strap portions and sleeve when said jaws are oppositely rocked about said pins, a tab cutting roller rotatably carried in each jaw tip to coact with said pressure block to cut the strap portions and sleeve inwardly from the edges thereof and to bend the tab out of the planes of strapping and sleeve, and means for simultaneously and oppositely rocking said jaws about said pivot pins.

9. In a tool for producing a joint between overlapping portions of metallic strapping and an encircling metallic reinforcing sleeve, a pair of pivot pins, means mounting said pivot pins in spaced parallel relationship, a pair of jaws, each jaw being pivotally mounted on one of said pivot pins, a stationary notcher positioned between said jaws and mounted on said mounting means, said notcher having cutting edges formed thereon, said jaws having confronting hook-like tips which approach each other and move toward said notcher to clamp the strap portions and sleeve adjacent said cutting edges when said jaws are oppositely rocked toward each other about said pins, and a tab cutting roller rotatably carried in each jaw tip, said rollers having edges aligned with said cutting edges in said notcher to cut the strap portions and sleeve inwardly from the edges thereof and to bend the tab out of the planes of strapping and sleeve when said rollers are moved toward said notcher by said jaws.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,730,669 MacChesney Oct. 8, 1929 1,793,990 Bayer Feb. 24, 1931 1,924,845 Edwards Aug. 29, 1933 2,644,356 Childress July 7, 1953 

